4 Tips to Combat Creative Block

I was asked a question recently how we keep the creativity flowing at Go Media and not get bored, uninspired, and lazy. Well, we have a handful of designers here and they’re often working on a variety of different jobs at any given time. So things are usually really busy and it’s hard to get lazy. But when we are given the job to come up with something creative, and we’re feeling uninspired, here are somethings that seem to do the trick:

1) Coffee or other stimulant. I’m not a regular coffee drinker but if I make a trip to my favorite coffee shop, I usually have a bunch of creative ideas and motivation. But I must not be distracted with other things because I’ll end up freakin’ out and working on 5 things at once and my focus will be lost. But if I have time to work on that ONE project that I need to be creative on, this almost always helps. I hate to rely on caffeine sometimes, but it’s usually that extra boost to get my natural creativity flowing again.

2) Change of scenery. If you have a laptop, move somewhere different. Go outside! Go to a coffee shop. Change your surroundings somehow. Even if you have a desktop, go for a walk and come back. This usually clears the cobwebs and puts your focus back on track.

3) Surf the web for inspiration. Tons of sites out there, tons of amazing designers. Find those that inspire you and admire their work for a bit.

4) Try to do something different. Don’t stick to your same design routine. Try new styles, that will spike your creative thought process. It will prevent you from slipping into old habits and get your brain working again.

Also, check our comments for more suggestions on staying inspired and if you have any suggestions feel free to add them!

I'm a partner at Go Media, a Cleveland web design, branding, and design studio. I started Weapons of Mass Creation Fest and wrote the book Thread's Not Dead, teaching artists and designers how to start a clothing company. I'm also writing a new book called Wake Up: The Morning Routine That Will Change Your Life